September Sightings

It always amazes me how quickly the spring and summer flies by in the midwest.  Everyone I know packs as much as possible into the three months of "nice" weather; including me.  Here we are in the month of September and my first extended time to do some local bird watching.  So after work on Monday, I drove to the small parking lot which is accessed by driving under the Harmonee Avenue bridge in downtown Wauwatosa, WI.

The first thing I noticed on my walk was that the foliage I encountered in May had grown incredibly tall and thick along the sides of the trail. Entire sections of the foot/bike path were almost overgrown.  I also saw that the generally brimming and fast moving Menomonee River (Underwood Creek) was very low with much of its bed showing vast stretches of exposed rock and boulders.  Cedar waxwings were plentiful high in the trees along the riverbank.  They took turns alternating between the branches taking acrobatic short flights back and forth to catch afternoon insects, as American robins ate the juicy dark blue berries of the invasive Common Buckthorn tree.

I spotted a Black and white warbler and an American redstart above my

head with a trio of Black-capped chickadees chattering away. White-breasted nuthatches climbed trees behind me and the chattering call of the Red-bellied woodpecker from across the water caused me to get out my binoculars for a look.  New England asters and goldenrod grew in large patches along the trail and many varieties of tall grains and grasses filled the detention pond basin. Cabbage white butterflies flitted here and there in search of the aforementioned asters or cruciferous vegetables it would not find here as the occasional Monarch drifted by on its own secret mission.

Milkweed pods were in abundance along the top ridge of the basin on either side of the trail.  Monarch butterflies aren't the only insect to favor them.  The large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, is colored orange-red and black. It has a long proboscis and is a piercing sucking insect. It feeds on the seeds, leaves and stems of milkweed (Asclepias). It is found in small groups on milkweed often on the stems, leaves and on the seed pods. The bodies of milkweed bugs contain toxic compounds derived from the sap which they suck from milkweed. They feed on the seeds by piercing the seed pod and can be found in all stages of growth on the plants in mid to late summer. Milkweed bugs are more of a nuisance than a threat to milkweed plants. In the course of feeding these bugs accumulate toxins from the milkweed, which can potentially sicken any predators foolish enough to ignore the bright colors which warn of their toxicity.

Eggs are a light lemon yellow changing to a reddish color. Incubation period is about four to five days. Each molt lasts five to six days. An adult will live for about one month. The insect overwinters as an adult.Eggs are laid in milkweed seed pods or in crevices between pods. About 30 eggs are laid a day, and about 2,000 over a female's lifespan, which lasts about a month during the summer. One or more generations per year.

They overwinter as adults. They can't survive cold winters, so they migrate south in the fall. They overwinter in the southern Atlantic and Gulf coast states where they feed and breed and gradually migrate north again in the spring and summer.

Cicadas could still be heard in the trees as the temperature was warm despite the afternoon waning sunshine.  Men on mountain bicycles in search of exercise and adventure came up from behind me on the trail shouting, "on your left" as I dodged into the brush to avoid being struck.  Others walking dogs both on and off leash strolled by me as I stood from time to time staring into the trees after a quick movement was noticed.  Getting out into the woods is very refreshing and regenerating after a long day in the office.

The Menomonee River was low

Cabbage white butterfly

Beautiful grains and goldenrod

If I stay still...no one will see me.

Here is the list of birds I saw on this 2-hour walk:

1. American robin
2. Bluejay
3. American crow
4. Common grackle
5. Song sparrow
6. White-breasted nuthatch
7. Black-capped chickadee
8. Cedar waxwing
9. Red-eyed vireo
10. Belted kingfisher
11. Great blue heron
12. Mallard
13. Mourning dove
14. Red-bellied woodpecker
15. Black and white warbler
16. American redstart
17. Hermit thrush
18. Cooper's hawk
19. Hairy woodpecker
20. Chimney swift
21. American goldfinch

Flickers and Springtime Ants

yellow-shafted Northern flicker

I have seen Yellow-shafted Northern flickers in groups on the ground before; but until today I didn't know why.  In the past at Havenwoods, Barbara and I witnessed about five under a tree in the grass.  When we approached they flew and that was that. I came upon this one on a narrow dirt path along the side of a detention pond near the Milwaukee County grounds.  Because I didn't want to scare it and I wished to get a picture; I stayed plenty far back and observed with my trusty Bushnells.  Even at the distance I was, I could not discern exactly what it was up to.  I assumed that it was eating in some way because it kept spearing its beak at the ground, but until I moved in closer I couldn't tell what.  When it had finished doing whatever it was; it moved away and I moved up.  I discovered the reason it was riveted to the spot; ants!  The bird had been pounding away on the entrance of an ant colony and was busily lapping the creatures up as fast as it could.  As I rounded the corner and down the berm I witnessed another flicker taking a dirt bath on the side of the road near the old cemetery.  I had never seen that before either.

Ant hill meal for a Northern flicker

FOY (first of the year) birds were plentiful on my little bird watching tour of the parkway.  I saw Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, and Black and white warblers.  Blue-gray gnatcatchers were busy in the trees as well as a wonder opportunity to take a photo of a Rose-breasted grosbeak.  Red-winged blackbirds were by far the most numerous bird in the cattail basin of the detention pond area. Savannah sparrows and Barn swallows were also plentiful.  I stood and watched for about 20 minutes as four small Mallard ducklings with no parental supervision; swam around in circles in the eddy of the Menomonee River.  I was worried about their safety, but powerless to do anything about it as the water was very high and the depth unknown.  I just hoped that they'd have enough sense when they grew fatigued to get to the shore somehow.

The BIRDSTUD in the flesh at the County Grounds of Milwaukee

The next cool thing I witnessed was a FOY Brown thrasher as it worked through its repertoire of double songs of other bird species.  These birds always impress me whenever I am fortunate to hear them. 

Enjoy a few photos I took 

of some of the birds I saw:

American Robin - My Favorite Bird

Baltimore Oriole

Black and white warbler

Blackburnian warbler

Bluejay

The Blue-gray gnatcatcher takes flight

Brown thrasher

Eastern phoebe

House wren

Magnolia warbler on the wing

Magnolia warbler

A red-tailed hawk gets chased by Red-winged blackbirds

Savannah sparrow

Song sparrow

Rose-breasted grosbeak (m)

Here is my (impressive) list of 40 species seen during just 2-1/2 hours of birding after work:

1. Canada Goose
2. Mallard
3. Mourning Dove
4. Chimney Swift
5. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
6. Spotted Sandpiper
7. Ring-billed Gull
8. Black Vulture
9. Cooper's Hawk
10. Red-tailed Hawk
11. Red-bellied Woodpecker
12. Downy Woodpecker
13. Northern Flicker
14. Eastern Phoebe
15. Blue Jay
16. American Crow
17. Tree Swallow
18. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
19. Barn Swallow
20. Black-capped Chickadee
21. House Wren
22. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
23. Hermit Thrush
24. American Robin
25. Brown Thrasher
26. European Starling
27. American Goldfinch
28. American Redstart
29. Magnolia Warbler
30. Blackburnian Warbler
31. Yellow Warbler
32. Chestnut-sided Warbler
33. Savannah Sparrow
34. Song Sparrow
35. Northern Cardinal
36. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
37. Red-winged Blackbird
38. Common Grackle
39. Brown-headed Cowbird
40. Baltimore Oriole

Springtime Birding along Underwood Creek

A warmer than usual Saturday morning in early April had me thinking about birds.  Again.  I drove the SPT out onto the freeway and headed west.  After a short cut-through on Discovery Lane in Wauwatosa, and a quick jaunt up Swan Blvd; I pulled into the parking lot at Hoyt Park.

Tree leaves had begun budding and the forest floor along the river showed signs of life in the form of fresh green shoots.  The water in the noisy creek was high and running rapidly to the east.  The trees at the trailhead were alive with Ruby-crowned kinglets dashing to and fro in search of insects. Standing still only for fractions of a second; they present an intimidating photographic subject. Songs of many other birds filled the air as I slowly walked along the rain-dampened soil of the trail.  A group of children explored the playground equipment as some young men practiced volleyball.  Only the popular and often bustling Hoyt Beer Garden was silent on this particular day.

Over the next two and a half hours I walked my "usual" circular pathway and tallied 31 species of birds.  Noticeably missing were the many, many warblers that would be arriving in the next couple of weeks.  I also did not see any ground dwelling sparrows like White-crowned and White-throats.  I did however record my FOY dragonfly and Garter snake, as well as many Clouded Sulphur and Red Admiral butterflies.  Compare this spring to 2013 at Hoyt, and you will notice the differences.

The County Detention Pond in Spring

A male Ruby-crowned kinglet flashes his crown

You can see just a bit of this male's red crown

A Ruby-crowned kinglet briefly pauses on a branch

Here is a Golden-crowned kinglet on a spruce tree

Siberian Squill in a log

Siberian Squill

Wisconsin's State Flower - Wood Violet

(Myrtle) Yellow-rumped warbler

A White-breasted nuthatch is caught outside it's knot hole nest.

This Garter snake decided to take a swim in a mud puddle

The wind ruffles the feathers of this detention pond Song sparrow

A Killdeer near the railroad tracks

This Mallard's bright green head shines in the sun

A Red Admiral butterfly sits on some dead leaves

Here's the rebuilt Hoyt bridge from below

A female Hairy woodpecker searches the bark for insects

A blooming Dogwood along the trail

A Black-capped chickadee perches on a twig

Classic shot of a Black-capped chickadee on a branch

A robin's nest below the new Hoyt Park bridge

This male American robin watches from the safety of a tree

This female robin is carrying nesting materials
and is warily watching the male cardinal

List of birds seen:

1. Mallard
2. Common Merganser
3. Pied-billed Grebe
4. Mourning Dove
5. Killdeer
6. Ring-billed Gull
7. Red-tailed Hawk
8. Belted Kingfisher
9. Red-bellied Woodpecker
10. Downy Woodpecker
11. Hairy Woodpecker
12. Northern Flicker
13. Blue Jay
14. American Crow
15. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
16. Black-capped Chickadee
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
18. Brown Creeper
19. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
20. American Robin
21. House Sparrow
22. House Finch
23. American Goldfinch
24. Yellow-rumped Warbler
25. Eastern Towhee
26. Savannah Sparrow
27. Song Sparrow
28. Northern Cardinal
29. Red-winged Blackbird
30. Common Grackle
31. Brown-headed cowbird